House Offers Environmental Streamline Bill for Forest Service

On Wednesday, Representative Tom McClintock (R-CA) released a draft bill that would aim to give the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) new, and expanded, categorical exclusions under the National Environmental Protection Act (NEPA) for National Forest restoration and resiliency projects.  The House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Federal Lands held a hearing to discuss the draft with USFS Chief Tom Tidwell and other stakeholder groups, including Supervisor Ron Walter from Chelan County, Washington.  Chief Tidwell welcomed the authority for some additional environmental streamlining, but warned the Subcommittee of inaction on the wildfire suppression budget issue, arguing streamlining would mean little if projects remain delayed or canceled due to “wildfire borrowing.”  The Subcommittee ultimately acknowledged the need for more work on the bill, in concert with the USFS and state and local stakeholders.